Route of ascent and descent: Approached along the ridge from High Stile and then descended to Scarth Gap and down to the Black Sail hut.

What Mr Wainwright says(from page 2 of his chapter): “The summit commands a glorious view of mountainous country, a deserved reward for it is neither easily attained nor easily left, its defence of battlemented crags and hostile stones being breached only by the narrow ridge connecting with High Stile, a mountain with difficulties of its own…. With the help of the ridge they should certainly be visited, the scenery being of the highest order and the situations exciting.”

View from Haystacks summit, showing the summit tarn. High Crag is the peak in the background. Picture taken way back on walk 13.

What I say: High Crag came at the end of a long walk and I was quite tired by this point but it was still a dramatic experience and worth the visit. It is a longer walk from High Stile than you might expect (or need), however.

Incidentally, having had a chance to survey it from the ridge, the route described on Wainwright’s page High Crag 6, via Sheepbone Rake, looks really tough. You’ve been warned.